Protecting the protest
Defend the Movement offers legal support and education to activists and law students, we address injustices through an anti-capitalist, anti-colonial, and anti-oppression lens.
Our Services
Legal services for arrested protesters and strategic defense of movements.
This includes advocating for activists’ legal rights, advanced legal preparation in case of arrest, emergency legal advice immediately after arrest, as well as legal representation during all court proceedings and criminal trials.
Education on legal rights and risks to empower movement groups in their struggle for progressive social change.
Training for demonstrators covers general information about their rights and risks during demonstrations, possible interactions with police, and potential arrest and criminal charges. This information empowers activists to take meaningful and sustainable actions and equips them with the knowledge to protect themselves and each other.
Education and capacity-building in Movement Law with law school programs
Clinic courses with DMQ allow students to earn course credits while also gaining experience in movement law. Students are offered opportunities to work on various cases — including international human rights cases as well as local criminal law cases. When not researching complex legal issues, students work closely with their supervising DMQ lawyer in dynamic local contexts that can require on-site legal presence or emergency intervention.
These three services illustrate DMQ’s theory of change, that social movements are strengthened when lawyers are embedded within activist communities, deepening the community’s understanding of the law and empowering the community to defend their right to political expression.
Help us achieve more.
Your support ensures that activists and social movements have the legal support to win!
Cases & Media
Read more about our work's impact
What is DMQ and movement law?
Movement Law is not widely taught in law schools in Canada and the US, nor is the public well-informed about its theory or practice. We think this definition by Law for Black Lives best encapsulates Movement Law:
Movement lawyering means taking direction from directly impacted communities and from organizers, as opposed to imposing our leadership or expertise as legal advocates. It means building the power of the people, not the power of the law.
DMQ’s lawyers, students, educators, and trainers thus work in collaboration with social movement activists and grassroots organizations to build collective power for societal transformation. This means, for example, that we work closely with the activists in developing strategy, collecting and organizing evidence, doing research, and determining what course of action they want to take for their own defence. DMQ’s relationships with local social movement communities are based on equality, respect, accountability, and mutually shared visions for a just future.
FAQs
Can't find an answer to your question or concern here? Get in touch.
Yes, lawyers at DMQ can provide emergency legal support if you are arrested. Call us at 438-367-3376
Yes. DMQ is committed to access to justice for all of our activist clients. We provide low-bono and free legal services. You might also be eligible for legal aid. Call us at 438 367-3376, send us an email at legal@defendthemovement.org, or fill out the contact form on our website.
You have come to the right place! DMQ provides education and training to individuals and groups fighting for social justice on various topics to protect you and the movement. Our trainings can cover rights and risks, documentation (including video evidence), and police liaisoning. We are happy to cover other legal-related concerns with individuals and groups. Contact us at legal@defendthemovement.org or fill out the contact form on our website to find out more.
This is amazing! At DMQ, there are many ways to get involved depending on your interests, experience and capacity. We want to hear from you! Send us an email at admin@defensedesmilitantes.org or fill out the contact form on our website.
DMQ has a formal legal clinic partnership with McGill University. If you are a McGill law student, contact your clinic administrator to find out more about applying. If you are a law student at UQAM or the University of Montréal, we have had a lot of enthusiastic interest from law students at your universities about DMQ and movement law but have not yet had success in securing a clinic placement arrangement. We are still hoping to form a relationship with your law schools but we need your help. Talk to your clinic administrator about your interest in placement credit with DMQ! Otherwise, DMQ welcomes you as a volunteer intern! Contact us at admin@defensedesmilitantes.org or fill out the contact form on our website to learn more.
You can protect the protest with a donation to help cover legal costs for clients and to support DMQ so it can best serve its clients and empower the movement. Go to the donation page on our website. Any donation is welcome and appreciated. Thank you!